Recipe

Violette's Spinach Fillo

Community Pick!

Recipe
No Questions Yet

Photo by AlainB

This recipe was entered in the contest for The Best Recipe or Technique Your Mother Taught You
A&M's Testing Notes: I jumped at the chance to test this recipe because it really brought back memories of my mother making a similar recipe. Fillo dough would have been pretty "exotic" for her back then, so it...
I jumped at the chance to test this recipe because it really brought back memories of my mother making a similar recipe. Fillo dough would have been pretty "exotic" for her back then, so it was a very special type of dish for her to make -- a company kind of dish. I followed AlainB's directions, restraining myself from changing from frozen spinach to fresh spinach and from Philly cream cheese to one with less stabilizers. Of course it was delicious -- full of buttery fillo and cheesy spinach. One note: I remember all of my family was skinny back then! My husband was horrified at all the fat the goes into the recipe. I reminded him that fat keeps your coat glossy! - dymnyno

Expand Collapse
Chef
AlainB's Notes: My mom has French origins and always cooks in typical French style, but for some reason when she came to this country over 50 years ago she fell in love with American cream cheese. It's probably...
My mom has French origins and always cooks in typical French style, but for some reason when she came to this country over 50 years ago she fell in love with American cream cheese. It's probably the only processed food she has in her kitchen even today, and she continues to pooh-pooh anything not French -- except cream cheese. I've tried making this with goat cheese (French!), but it just doesn't come out the same. I recently asked my mom what she considers her "best recipe", and she said Leak Fillo -- which she had just made a week earlier for the first time. What!? The best? "Oui! My meilleure recette!" I tried it, it was very good, but I still prefer the classic with spinach. My mom's recipes are notoriously difficult to pin down, as she changes them constantly and she isn't even sure what she puts in. You can make this with Leaks instead of Spinach, or Mushrooms and Onions, or just cheese. As long as you put enough butter and salt in, it's always a winner. - AlainB

Expand Collapse

Serves 8

1 packet Fillo Pastery, frozen Ask a question about this ingredient

2 packets frozen Chopped Spinach, 10oz each Ask a question about this ingredient

4 ounces Philadelphia Cream Cheese Ask a question about this ingredient

1 1/2 cup shredded Emmantaler cheese (Swiss or French!) Ask a question about this ingredient

2 eggs Ask a question about this ingredient

4 tablespoons butter Ask a question about this ingredient

1 tablespoon olive oil Ask a question about this ingredient

sesame seeds Ask a question about this ingredient

salt & pepper Ask a question about this ingredient

Preheat oven to 325 degrees.
Ask a question about this step
Remove Fillo from freezer, allow to defrost for 1/2 hr.
Ask a question about this step
Take frozen chopped spinach (not whole spinach!) and cook it for 10 minutes or so until it is fully defrosted. Put it in a colander and squeeze out every little bit of water you can. You should even use a paper towel to get all the water out.
Ask a question about this step
In a large mixing bowl, combine the spinach, the eggs, the cream cheese, and the Emmanthaler. (You can also throw in any other cheeses you might have laying around.) Add salt and pepper to taste, and mix well until blended. Then add a little more salt.
Ask a question about this step
Melt the butter in a bowl, and add 1 tbs olive oil to it. Mix with a pastry brush.
Ask a question about this step
Take a 9x12 baking dish (glass pyrex works best) and butter the bottom and sides with the pastry brush.
Ask a question about this step
Unfold your fillo. You will only need half of a typical 1 lb pkg, the sheets should be exactly 9x12. Place the sheets one by one in the baking dish. After every other one, brush the fillo with the butter mixture. In all, put down 8 sheets.
Ask a question about this step
Add in the spinach mixture, spread evenly. Then cover with 8 more sheets, continuing to butter every other one. On the last one, brush again with butter, and sprinkle sesame seeds on top. You can also use grated parmesan.
Ask a question about this step
Cook in the oven for about 40 minutes, until it begins to brown on top. Remove from oven and let rest for at least 20 minutes. Never cover it -- my mom would kill you, it gets all soggy! It is best to eat just slightly warm.
Ask a question about this step

3 Comments on Violette's Spinach Fillo

dymnyno added about 1 year ago

Alain, I love the way you folded the recipe into little packets for the Central Park party...making them finger food inspires me to make them again...great taste and easy to eat.

drbabs added over 2 years ago

Dear Alain,
Can I just say...LOVE!? I made this last night for a friend whose mom had died and brought it over there this morning. I got to taste it tonight. It was amazing. Not too buttery despite all the butter, and crispy and softly cheesy. The sesame seeds added such a nice flavor. We're all accustomed to spinach pie with feta cheese, but liked this better because it wasn't as salty. A really great dish that I will make agin.